Mechanism for attaching fringe to the edges of carpet



March 24, 1931. MccOLLUM ,798,0

' MECHANISM FOR ATTACHING FRINGE TO THE mass 0? CARPET Filed March 30 192 3Sheets-Sh9et' l nuewm MECHANISM FOR ATTACHING FRINGE TO THE EDGES 0F CARPET Filed \March 30 5 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LIZ/67% 7'5 March 24, 1931. F, MGCOLLUM 1,798,025

' MECHANISM FOR ATTACHING FRINGE TO THE EDGES OF CARPET Filed March 30 192 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED F. MGCOLLUM, OF BLOOMSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, .ASSIGNO'R TO THE MAGEE ('JA1'\EET-CO., F BLOQMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA MECHANISM FOR- ATTACElNG FRINGE TO THE vEDGES OF CAR-PET Application .filed March '30, 1926. Serial No. 98,527.

The principal object of this invention is to provide novel and improved mechanism for attaching fringe to the edges of carpet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device in the form of an attachment for a standard sewing machine by means of which the attachment of fringe to the carpet edges is facilitated.

More particularly an object of the invention is to provide a guide which, operating in conjunction with the carpet edge and with the fringe or binding elements, provides means for accurately feeding the elements under the needle of the sewing machine.

The invention further contemplates the provision of extra means for holding the work under action of the needle and for insuring a proper stripping action, thereby'materially increasing the efficiency andaccuracy of the machine for certain types of work. 7

In the attached drawings:

igure' 1 is an end elevation of a sewing machine made in accordance with my invent-ion;

Fig. '2 is a front elevation of su'fficient'of the machine to illustrate the invention;

Fig. '3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 3-3, Fig 2;

Fig. 4: is a plan view of the guide attachment;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 3, and

Fig. dis a section on theline 6-6, Fig. 3.

lVith reference to the drawings, 1 represents the mechanism of a standard sewing machine of the type generally employed for sewing fringe on carpet, this mechanism including a vertically reciprocating needle bar 2, which carries a needle 3, afoot 4; under whichthe parts to besewed together are fed and which is divided at its forward end for passage of the needle 3, and a feeding'fo'ot 5 which underlies the foot 4 and isadapted with the latter to engage the parts fed through the machine to advance them with anintermittent movement synchronized with the reciprocatory movement of the needle. Like the foot 41, the feeder foot 5 is provided with a slot "for passage therethrough of the needle .3. The operation :of the aforede.

, viously described is scribed mechanism, which issta-ndard, will be readily the art.

Immediatelyin front of the needle posi-' tion and projecting between the bifurcated forward end of the foot v4 is a presserbar I 7 slidably mountedin the machine and which normally is held against the upper face of the elements upon whichthe needle operates, by means of a spring 8. The function and operation of this bar 7,-wl1'ic'h constitutes an important part ;of the invention, will -be described in detail hereinafter. i It is customary in attaching fringe to the edges of carpets to employ-astrip 11 to which the fringe is attachedfwhi'ch strip is secured to the upper face of thecarpet 1 2 at understood by those acquainted with the :edge of the latter, as shown in Figs. 4

and 6, andto use a second strip '13 o'f tape which underlies the carpet :at "the edge and which is bound to the carpet by the same stitches which secure the fringestripv 11. In this manner not only the fringe attached tothe edge of the carpet, but the edge 'ofthe carpet is firmly bound.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, it will be noted that Ilh'azve provided the bed plate 14 of the machine with a longitudinalrecess 15 ex tending from front to rear of the machine "in line with the needle 3, and ithisslot is of the same width as the tape 13, which as presecured 'to the :under side of the carpet. v

Secured to the face of the bed plate and overlying the forward end of'this slot '15 is a plate 16, whichyas shown-Lin Fig. 3,'projects slightly over the edge of 'thebed plate '14 at the front. of the machine and extends inwardly of the bed plate to a point forwardly of the needle position. Since the slot 15 is in depth substantially the same as the thickness of the tape 13, the plate 16 forms with theslot 15a passage having-substantially the same transverse dimensions as the tape 13 and through whic'hthe tape-may beaccura-tely guided 'to the needle. v 'I also provide a block 17 which is pivotally secured at 1'8t'o1thebed plate Mat one side of the slot 15. This block which, as clearly illustrated, tapers inwardly Of the machine, is adapted in one position, as illustrated in the drawings, to lie across the front of the machine with its outer free end projecting slightly over the slot 15, the outer face of this block being adapted to function as a guide, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for that edge of the carpet to which the fringe is to be attached and to properly position the carpet with respect to the tape strip 13 passing through the guide slot 15, as previously described. "It will be noted that by reason of the fact that the forward edge of the block slightly overlies the slot 15, the tape 13 projects correspondingly beyond the end edge of the carpet, as shown in Fig. 5, in which the carpet is designated by the reference numeral19.

Secured to the upper face of the block 17 by means in the present instance of screws 21 andadjustable on the block 17 by reason of slots 22 therein through which the screws 21 extend, is a guide plate 23, and this plate is extended beyond the forward end of the block 17 so as to project well over the slot 15. The plate 23 at that edge which lies adjacent the needle carries an upwardly and rearwardly turned guide piece 24 forming a notch through which the fringe strip 11 is fed, as shown in Fig. 4, the rear edge of the tape engaging the inner end of the notch and the plate.23 being so adjusted on the block that when properly positioned in the guide, the inner edge of the tape 11 is properly positioned with respect to the edge of the carpet and, in the present instance, substantially in line with the corresponding edge 0 the underlying tape 13. V

It will be noted that by meansof this device, a guide is provided which by engagement of the tape 13, the fringe tape '11 and the rug 12, constituting the three elements which are to be secured together, functions to insure the proper relative positioning of these elements as they pass to the needle. 7

' In operation, the tape 13 is passed into the guide slot 15 and under the plate 16, and the carpet to which the fringe is to be attached is laid upon the machine with that edge to which the fringe is to be attached abutting the forward or guide face of the block 17 While-the tape 13 is being passed into the slot 15, the block 17 may be turned out of the way upon its pivot 1%. Thereafterlthe fringe 11 is passed over the plate 23 and under the guide piece 24, and the three elements are started through the machine in the usual manner. After the elementshave been started, the machine is operated normally, the tape 13 feeding through the slot 15, the rug 12 being accurately guided by contact of the edge thereof with the block 17, and the tape 1l-being maintained by the operator in its proper position in the guide 24. The device as previously pointed out assures a'proper relative positioning of the three elements and uniformity in attaching the tapes and fringe to the carpet.

It will be noted by reference to Figs. 4: and 6 that the stitches which bind the tape and fringe to the carpet are so arranged that the outer projecting edge of the tape 13 is held up over the edge of the carpet, which protects the latter and affords an efficient binding.

Machines of this general type, and particularly where the needle is shogged transversely to the line of feed to give the staggered arrangement of stitches shown, have been subject to development of defects seriously interfering with the continuous operation gen erally required. By providing the bar 7, previously referred to, I have entirely eliminated this tendency toward defective operation. This bar 7 is mounted in suitable guides 25, 26 on the fixed frame of the machine, to slide vertically, or parallel to the needle bar 2, and the bar 7 is provided at the top with a transversely extending flange 27 which extends into the path of the needle bar 2 so that as the latter moves upwardly it engages the flange and elevates the said bar 7 of which the flange is a part. The spring 8 is extended under this elevating movement and returns the bar 7 to its normal position when the needle bar 'moves' down. The upper flanged end of the bar 7 is a separate piece adjustable longitudinally on the bar, as shown, and this provides for operative adjust ment between the needle bar and the bar 7 whereby the latter may be lifted from the Work and engaged therewith at the desired points in the stroke of the needle. Ordinarily I prefer to have the bar 7 leave the work after the needle and engage the work in ad: vance of the needle so that at all times theneedle is operating on the work the bar 7 is resting on the latter. The device insures a correct needle action and a proper positioning of the work at all times.

I claim:

1. Ina sewing machine, the combination with a work-table having a groove extending from front to back thereof in its upper surface, a reciproctatory needle associated with the work-table operating in alignment with said groove and intermediate the ends thereof, said groove constituting a guide for and receiving one element of the work, and an elevation on said table forming a shoulder extending parallel to and adjacent to said groove and constituting an edge guide for a second element of the work flatly imposed on said work-table, said groove and elevation cooperating to direct the elements of the work to said needle, said groove by its co-action with the first element of the work after its passage from said needle preventing angular displacement of the connected elements of the work upon the bed.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with a work-table having a groove extending from front to back thereof in its upper surface, a reciprocatory needle associated with the work-table operating in alignment with said groove and intermediate the ends thereof, said groove constituting a guide for and receiving one element of the work, an elevation on said table forming a shoulder extending parallel to and adjacent to said groove and constituting an edge guide for avsecond element of the work flatly imposed on said worktable, said groove and elevation cooperating to direct the elements of the work to said needle, said groove by its co-action with the first element of the work after its passage from said needle preventing angular displacement of the connected elements of the work upon the bed, said edge guide partially overlying the groove in advance of the'needle, and a pivotal mounting for said edge guide permitting shifting thereof to leave the groove unobstructed.

ALFRED F. MGCOLLUM. 

